Yoga Quick Tips: Wheel Pose

A guide to a tough pose.

Photo by Elina Fairytale from Pexels

Wheel pose is a beautiful — and intimidating — asana. Here are some tips to make this deep backbend a bit easier.

Basic cues: Lie on your back, feet flat, parallel, and hips-distance apart. Bring the palms of your hands by your ears. Inhale and press down into your foundation to lift your body off the mat.

Tips:

• Come to the crown of your head first. It’s helpful to rest for a moment on the crown of your head before pushing up into wheel pose.
• Firm your glutes. But don’t over-contract the glute muscles.
• Keep the knees together. You don’t want them splaying out to the sides.
• Relax your neck. The tendency is to strain your neck in this posture. See if you can relax it and let your head rest in a comfortable position.